Professional Development Colleagues,

A colleague has asked me to speak to a group of adult literacy education
teachers about how to serve "hard-to-reach" adult learners.  I solicit
your help in answering this question. I am interested in hearing about
your experience in "recruiting" or enrolling "hard-to-reach" adults with
low literacy skills. I am also interested in hearing from adult
learners, some of whom may be in your classes or may be people you
tutor, some of whom may be colleagues on this list.  Perhaps you could
share this question with teachers you work with and post their  
responses or
they could reply directly on this list or to me by e-mail.

Of course, "hard-to-reach" could mean many things.  What does it mean to
you? And "serving" hard-to-reach low-literate adults might be an  
important
part of the answer to this question.  For example, if one of the reasons
adults with low literacy (or numeracy) skills don't step forward for
help is because they are hiding their reading writing or numeracy
disabilities or difficulties, then they will be reluctant to come to
classes in their community where others would find out.

So, from your experience, who are  "hard-to-reach"  low-literate adults,
and what has been effective in recruiting and enrolling them?

Thanks for your help.

David J. Rosen
djrosen at comcast.net